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With Jim Letten out, search must begin for a strong replacement: Editorial

U. S. Attorney Jim Letten, far left, walks past his staff as he walks into a room to announce that he was leaving the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Orleans effective next week.
(Photo by Chris Granger, NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune)

With accusations of ethical abuses by his top lieutenants swirling around him, it wasn't a surprise to see Jim Letten resign Thursday as U.S attorney. But it was an unfortunate end to a stellar career and a somber moment for our community. Mr. Letten has led an unwavering fight against public corruption, an effort that has helped Louisiana shed its long-held reputation for tolerating misbehavior from our elected leaders.

He emphasized those achievements in his passionate farewell remarks. "Make no mistake: I stand here before you ... with enormous, unabashed pride in everything we've accomplished and in the tremendous successes we've forged over the years," Mr. Letten said.

The list of convictions during his 11-year tenure as U.S. attorney is impressive: former New Orleans City Council member Oliver Thomas; former city tax assessor Betty Jefferson and her brother Mose; two judges, a dozen bail bond officials and other courthouse operatives in Jefferson Parish's Wrinkled Robe scandal. As an assistant U.S. attorney, he led the successful bribery prosecution of former Gov. Edwin Edwards.

It is vital to remember that record as a successor is chosen for Mr. Letten. The next U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana must be a highly qualified prosecutor who is committed to continuing the fight against corruption.

U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, who will have an integral role in making that choice, said in a statement Thursday that she is committed to finding "the most qualified individual for the post." The office, she noted, is "charged with fighting corruption and keeping the people of the Eastern District safe."

Sen. Landrieu said she would consult with local leaders and the legal community before forwarding a list of nominees to Attorney General Eric Holder, and she promised an open and efficient process.

That is essential. This decision will have a tremendous and lasting impact on the people who live here, and the community's need for a dedicated, ethical prosecutor should be paramount.

Until the next U.S. attorney is appointed, Dana Boente will serve as the interim replacement for Mr. Letten. Mr. Boente is first assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, which is the jurisdiction that prosecuted former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson. Mr. Boente has handled numerous complex fraud prosecutions in his 28 years in the Justice Department and specializes in tax cases.

Despite the sad end to his tenure, Mr. Letten's office has been a beacon for Louisiana residents eager to rid the public realm of thievery and bribery. It is a tremendous disappointment that some of Mr. Letten's staff apparently let ego overcome their sense of ethics.

First, senior litigation counsel Sal Perricone resigned in disgrace in March after River Birch landfill co-owner Fred Heebe -- who is under federal investigation -- revealed that the prosecutor had been posting improper comments about ongoing cases on NOLA.com. At the time, Mr. Letten assured the community that Mr. Perricone was alone in his misjudgment.

Recently, though, longtime first assistant Jan Mann was demoted amid accusations from Mr. Heebe that she made similarly inappropriate online posts. Mr. Letten confirmed in a letter to U.S. District Judge Hayden Head this week that Ms. Mann was in fact "eweman," the commenter identified by Mr. Heebe's legal team.

The Heebe case, meanwhile, was turned over to the Justice Department in April. The controversy surrounding Mr. Perricone and Ms. Mann should not interfere with the investigation into River Birch's questionable dealings. Nor should Mr. Letten's resignation.

River Birch and Mr. Heebe are part of a sweeping investigation of corruption in Jefferson Parish government. During the administration of former Parish President Aaron Broussard, River Birch landed a garbage disposal contract that has since been rescinded. Former parish administrator Tim Whitmer oversaw negotiations of the deal while doing private insurance business with River Birch's parent company.

It is important for the Justice Department to unravel how the River Birch deal was done and determine whether there was any wrongdoing.

In addition to pursuing that case, the department also is left to untangle the mess Mr. Perricone and Ms. Mann made. A news release Thursday announced that John Horn, first assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, will investigate leaks and other matters in the Danziger Bridge case. That probe was ordered by U.S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt, who rebuked Mr. Letten's office for the online postings and accused Mr. Perricone and Ms. Mann of misleading him about the situation. The judge so far has rejected defense attorneys' request for a new trial for police officers convicted in the bridge shootings and cover-up but has left open the possibility. It is troubling that the judge ordered prosecutors to question reporters about their sources for particular news articles, and the Justice Department must ensure that it doesn't trample freedom of the press as it responds to Judge Engelhardt.

Mr. Boente is stepping into a difficult situation, no doubt. But he must move quickly to stabilize the New Orleans office and keep prosecutors focused on the important work that is their mission. Residents in the Eastern District deserve an effective and trustworthy U.S. attorney's office, now and into the future.